- Title: BOLIVIA: Bolivian designer makes luxury line of alpaca clothing for dogs
- Date: 30th April 2009
- Summary: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) POODLE WITH ALPACA CAP OVERVIEW OF DOG OWNER WITH POODLE POODLE VARIOUS OF OWNER WALKING WITH DOG WEARING TIN COLORED CAP PAOLA ZAPANA, FOUNDER OF PET FASHION COMPANY, ENTERING SEWING WORKSHOP DOG OUTFIT PRODUCED BY PET FASHION COMPANY ZAPANA DOG CLOTHING USING AYMARA DESIGNS FROM PET FASHION'S CASUAL LINE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PET FASH
- Embargoed: 15th May 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Environment / Natural World,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVACZIT0PXMKI5J8IAI036MVGVY8
- Story Text: Bolivian designer makes luxury line of alpaca clothing for dogs.
The likes of Paris Hilton and other celebrities have pioneered dressing pets with fashion in mind, and alpaca cloth from the Bolivian Pet Fashion company has provided haute couture for international canine wear.
The dog has come a long way since the darkest days of World War II when the Japanese army made use of dog fur to provide insulation for military gear.
Now a regular on the fashion runways the world over, dogs have seen their man-made accessories evolve from passing fad to a booming outlet for haute couture.
And one Bolivian designer has already become the Coco Chanel of the nascent animal fashion world.
Paola Zapana has pioneered the use of the wool from alpacas, a llama-like animal native to the Andean region, for canine coats, hooded jackets, and pajamas.
Many designs for the canine clothing are inspired by indigenous Bolivian traditions, including those from the Aymara tribe.
Zapana's so-called Wof Couture line produced by her company, Pet Fashion Bolivia, has achieved a global audience, and counts on $3 billion of annual revenue from the United States alone.
"The entire collection is made from baby Alpaca wool. It's a material that I always wanted to work with for the pets. We went to New York, and there the idea to use the fabric was very well received," Zapana said.
U.S. celebrities have been vital to the boom of canine fashion in the last decade, with Paris Hilton, a regular client of Pet Fashion, and her beloved chihuahua "Tinkerbell" the leading advocates for dressing up pets with a flair that would make Yves Saint-Laurent proud.
"The cloth of alpaca is just a jewel. It's a fine cloth, so when you touch something made from the cloth, you feel it's suaveness, and that's what's most attractive. The designs are very much in line with people's tastes. And I want to say, I am not playing dress up with the dogs. I am dressing them fashionably," Zapana said.
The scion of the Hilton hotel chain herself has opened up a line for dog wear, the proceeds from which are sent directly to institutions dedicated to animal causes.
The four-and-a-half year old firm came about when Zapana bought a dog of her own, an English Spaniel and Margarita, and took an interest in the dog's appearance.
And after being disappointed with the quality of the fabrics from China, India and Taiwan, she said, Zapana turned to the local Alpaca cloth famous for its cashmere-like texture and diverse colors.
Her use of cloth sheared from baby alpacas was among her new designs she featured at the 2008 Pet Fashion Week in New York - the Kentucky Derby of the canine fashion world - and she promises to make another appearance at the 2009 edition scheduled for August 22 and 23. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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